Silvina Landesman

Soldier/Citizen

Silvina Landesman

Fresh off a mandatory military tour, a group of Israeli combat soldiers participates in a series of army-sponsored courses in order to graduate from high school. Part of the curriculum is a civic studies course that asks the soldiers to contemplate issues of human rights and democracy as they pertain to Israel as a state, a nation and a country. The students engage in heated debate as the teacher repeatedly challenges them on their views and opinions, opinions formed largely from their recent and often harrowing personal experiences in the military. It’s a fascinating process, one that puts into sharp perspective some of the challenges facing modern-day Israel, a country full of violence and contradictions.